ALERT: DOLE Expects to Repatriate 3,000 More OFWs Out of War-torn Libya

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz from a report by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Libya said it anticipates 3,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will utilize the government’s mandatory repatriation program and evacuate within the coming weeks. She added that their forecasted 11,000 OFWs enlisting for repatriation has been lowered to 6,000.

The government has already ferried home 3,096 out of the estimated 13,000 OFWs since its repatriation program commenced last week. It will proceed with the evacuation until the situation in Libya normalizes. However, there will be no deployment of chartered ships and planes for now until a large number of workers are to be retrieved.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) announced that as of August 19, it has extended aid to 2,917 repatriated workers. The help given came in the form of overseas job assistance, transportation assistance, and livelihood assistance.

(Source: Manila Bulletin, August 20, 2014)